bread.
Graham Crackers
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
4 T. brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 T. honey
2 T. milk
dash of vanilla
cinnamon sugar
Mix together all ingredients to make dough. Turn out onto a cookie sheet and roll out. Sprinkle surface with cinnamon sugar and lightly press sugar mixture into surface of dough. Deeply score dough in squares. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting through crackers.
Herb Biscuits
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. sage
½ tsp. celery seed
¼ cup shortening
¾ cup buttermilk
Mix together the dry ingredients and herbs. Cut in the shortening; add liquid and stir to make a soft dough. Knead lightly about 20 times. Roll or pat out ½-inch thick. Cut into biscuits and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until golden brown and done.
Honey Oatmeal Bread
1 cup boiling water
1 cup rolled oats, uncooked
⅓ cup shortening, softened
⅓ cup honey
1 T. salt
4½ tsp. (2 packages) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 egg
4-5 cups wheat flour
Stir the boiling water, oats, shortening, honey, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Cool to lukewarm.
Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Add dissolved yeast mixture, egg, and 2 cups flour to the first mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, or by hand, until batter is smooth. By hand, gradually stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Spread batter evenly in two greased loaf pans. Smooth tops of loaves by patting into shape. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1½ hours. Bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes. Remove bread from pans and brush tops with melted butter.
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL GARDEN
Root vegetables, such as potatoes and onions, should be planted when the moon is waning. This assures the gardener that the vegetables won’t spend their energy on the plant tops. Vegetables that grow above ground, such as squash, peas, beans, and tomatoes, should be planted when the moon is waxing, which will ensure a bountiful harvest.
The best time to plant corn is when the new leaves on oak trees are the size of squirrels’ ears.
To avoid dirty fingernails, before you go outside to plant or weed, run your fingernails through a bar of soap. It will keep the dirt out and make washing up after easier.
Protect your smaller garden tools from rusting by keeping a pail of sand near the garage or cellar door and plunging them into the sand when through with them.
To make flowers grow better, soak eggshells in warm water overnight. Remove the shells and use the water to water your flowers.
Plant marigolds in your vegetable patch to help keep away bugs and rabbits.
Put some wood ashes on the ground where you plant radishes to keep the worms away.
Long Johns
4½ tsp. (2 packages) active dry yeast
4 cups flour (may need ½ cup or so more)
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup water
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup shortening
1 egg
oil for deep frying
Maple Frosting (recipe follows)
In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, 1½ cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and nutmeg; mix well.
In a saucepan, heat together the water, half-and-half, and shortening until warm but not hot; shortening will not be entirely melted. Add to the flour mixture. Add egg and blend at low speed until moistened, and then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
By hand, gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and turn to grease all surfaces. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough and divide into 2 parts. Roll or pat out each piece to a 12 × 6-inch rectangle. Cut into 1-inch strips (each piece will be 6 inches long by 1 inch wide). Cover and let rise until double, about 30 minutes.
Heat oil to 425° and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and when cool, frost with Maple
Carol Wallace, Bill Wallance